Latch



(No Model.)

PqLEBEL.

LATCH.

No. ES'LQS (i Pate I11 ;edApr.Z3,1895.

&

\A ITNEEEEE sented in an open position.

UNTTED STATns PATENT @Ti ten.

PETER LEBEL, OF SOMERSWORTl-l, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

LATCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 537,836, dated April 23, 1895.

Application filed February 13, 1 895. Serial No. 538,215. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, PETER LEBEL, a-citizen of the United States, residing at Somersworth, in the county of Stralford and State of New Hampshire, have invented new and useful Improvements in Door Locks and Latches, of which the following is a specification.

This is an invention adapted more particularly for use in connection with screen-doors, in which the door is self-latching when it closes or self-locking according to the adjustment of the device. If the device is adjusted to be self-locking the screen-door can only be opened from the inside; but if it is adjusted to be merely self-latching it can be opened either from the inside or the outside.

The nature of the invention is fully described below, and illustrated in the acoon panying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a transverse vertical section of a door-case provided with a screen-door closed, the whole being furnished with my invention. A portion of a solid door is repre- Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section taken through the latching and locking device, with the parts in the position assumed when the latch is locked. The position of the latch when raised is indicated by broken lines. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section taken on line m, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on line y, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail in elevation showing the position of the knob.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts. i

A represents the difierent portions of the door-case, and a the ordinary solid door swingin g therein.

B is the screen-door usually provided with a spring by means of which it is self-closing, and hinged to the door-case in the ordinary manner.

The screen door B is provided with a vertical slot 0 (Fig. 5) in which is adapted to move the horizontal portion D of a lifting rod, which consists of such portion D, the portion D which is bent back upon the portion D, the vertical portion D which moves in an eye b secured to the inner side of the screendoor, and the inwardly and upwardly bent upper end at which extends into a hollow jambs of the door-case as shown, at the same height as the cage E. This case F is provided with a suitable opening F through'which extends a hook or latch H which swings. vertically, from a horizontal spindle I within and supported by said case F and extending through a suitable perforation in said latch. This spindle is provided with a shoulder 1 against which the latch rests, so that the portion behind the latch is practically a drum 1. Extending horizontally from the rear side of the latch H is a pin J, and a spring h has one end hooked around the pin and thence said spring takes one or more coils around the drum I and has its other end K bear against the upper wall of the case F. Thus this spring holds the latch down normally upon the lower edge of the opening F, so that its hooked portion is in engagement with the cage E, and restingupon the upper end of the rod D D" d.

It is evident that in order to disengage the latch from the cage, and hence render the screen-door B free to be opened, it is only needful to lift the rod D D D d in the slot 0, the effect of such lifting being to push the latch up into the position indicated in broken lines in Fig. 2. This lifting may be performed by means of the knob e on the outside or by means of the portion D D on the inside.

In order to provide a means for preventing the latch from being lifted from the outside,

thus locking the screen-door, a stop orcam K is provided between the upper edge of the latch and the upper wall of the casing, said stop extending from a spindle or shaft L which extends down through the upper wall of the case F and is rotated by means of a thumb-piece L which is rigid with said spindie and is located outside or above the case. It is evident that a quarter turn of the thu mbpiece will rotate the stop K from the position indicated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, in which it is shown as looking the latch, to a position be hind the path of the latch, so that said latch is free to be lifted by the upper end cl of the rod D. Hence when said stop K is in the B adapted to lift said latch out of such en- 15 gagement, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of the door B vertically slotted at C, the rod D", d, D, D provided with the knob eand moving vertically against the said door, the cage E secured to said door, 20 the caseF secured to the door-casing, and the latch H held normally in engagement with the cage by a spring, substantially as described.

PETER LE BEL.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM LAMB, S. B. SMITH. 

